He became separated from his group on March 5 during a military control on the area, which is notoriously rife with armed groups, including the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

This is the moment soldier Yefer Orlando Sanchez Fonseca was found 'safe and sound' in the Colombian jungle. He has revealed he survived by eating raw tortoise and drinking his own urine

The soldier, 26, had become separated from his group on March 5 during a military drill in the area

Sanchez is pictured with the Armed Forces of Colombia after he was rescued having survived 23 days alone

A large-scale search was conducted by the army following his disappearance.

An official statement describes how more than 500 men of the national army were involved in the detailed search, 'including aerial surveillance from the Colombian Air Force'.

Sanchez was finally found by a passing soldier Carlos Enrique Tunubala. He said: 'He had no food or water on him, just a gun, munitions, a helmet, some explosives, a machete.'